The Internet and other communication networks now provide the capacity to deliver high-quality digital content such as video and sound to consumers. However, content providers, Hollywood studios and the like, are justifiably concerned about this content being copied and distributed illegally. In the past, proprietary scrambling approaches have been used for transmitting programming via cable and satellite. These proprietary scrambling approaches require control over the network from headend to set-top box. Though these proprietary scrambling approaches have been successful in the past, they are inappropriate for the Internet and other open protocol networks where interoperation is based on open protocols.
Various other proposals such as those of the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard add a slot for receiving a smart card or a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card to the end use device. This allows for multiple different content provider encryption schemes to be used by the consumer inserting different cards into the end device. However, these schemes are expensive to provide and still just allow multiple proprietary schemes. Moreover, there is no assurance that the end-use device will prevent the digital content from being copied at the receiving end. For example, there is no assurance that the set-top box is not connected to a video or audio recording device for making high-quality digital copies.
One recent approach that facilitates receipt of digital content over open protocols is public key encryption. Public key encryption is a technique for secure communication, digital signatures and authentication. However, normally, public key encryption is associated with an end-user. Moreover, it is normally used in the situation where the end-user is able to receive and keep the unencrypted digital data. Also, it is normally used in the context of handling two-direction communication whereas a TV and/or stereo is normally a receive-only device relative to the network.
What is needed is a method and apparatus that will provide protection of digital content. Also, a method and apparatus is needed that prevents end users from making high-quality digital copies of transmitted digital content. The present invention meets the above needs.